Determinants of Latina obesity in the United States: the role of selective acculturation.
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Hispanic American women in particular have higher rates of obesity than their non-Hispanic White counterparts. In this article, the authors review the existing literature on acculturation as it relates to obesity and health behaviors among U.S. Hispanic women. In addition, a conceptual framework is proposed to examine factors contributing to obesity through "selective acculturation." This concept challenges traditionally held unilateral assumptions that underscore Hispanic women's unhealthful behavioral patterns by explaining a process whereby Hispanic women both maintain some older health-related behaviors and acquire new ones once they settle in a new culture.
Yeh
Ming-Chin
MC
Hunter College, City University of New York.
Viladrich
Anahi
A
Bruning
Nancy
N
Roye
Carol
C
D000069:Acculturation; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America / Q000208:ethnology; D008019:Life Style / Q000208:ethnology*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology